Even before I went vegan, falafels (the ultimate vegan snack) were one of my favourite things to eat. In London, you can find them very easily, both at Middle Eastern restaurants (several countries argue over who actually invented these delicious nuggets) and at regular street food markets. When we lived there, I used to take full advantage of this, but now that we live on a small Greek island, the food scene is much less vibrant. There is still good food to be had, but for obvious reasons there is much less variety.
Unable to get good falafels easily, I decided to take the plunge and make my own. They are actually quite simple to make. One hurdle I’ve had to overcome is my fear of deep frying. I don’t like using lots of oil and I’ve always avoided deep-fried foods (with the occasional exception of falafels and churros). I wouldn’t be myself if I hadn’t tried to bake and shallow fry falafels, but even though they weren’t bad, they did not end up tasting like the real thing. Only deep frying will get you a falafel that’s nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside – a sheer pleasure to bite into. Given that the actual mixture is packed with healthy stuff and I have them with loads of salad and hummus, I have decided to treat myself to properly done falafels once in a while. Duncan is all for it as he is not the one to want a low-fat version of anything and he loves easy falafels too. Enjoy your easy falafels in the sunshine with friends (recommended). They are at their best accompanied by a few simple salads, a big dollop of hummus and a generous helping of smooth tahini sauce (see recipe below).
